Kotamuri is a village art performed in the Kerala state of India. It is mainly practiced by the Malayan caste in Kannur District of the said state. The Malayan community is professionally known for practicing exorcism, singing their traditional song called `kannerupattu`. Many of the men are Teyyam dancers, specializing in the spirits of `Vishnu Murti`, `Kutti Chathan`, `Bhairavan`, `Pottan`, `Chamundi`, and `Gulikan`.
Performance of Kotamuri
The Malayan community enacts Kotamuri during the time of harvest as a fertility rite. In Kotamuri, the cow is held as the symbol of prosperity of the village. Hence, in the performance, the role of cow is of utmost importance.
The main performer is a boy in the guise of a cow, his face painted elegantly and wearing a small headdress, with a cow`s mask tied to a frame attached to his waist. He dances to the songs of accompanying musicians and the rhythms of the `chenda` drum. Two interesting characters called `Paniyan`, wearing painted masks made of `Areca spathes`, play with the cow. They also make jokes of contemporary social relevance. The performers visit every house, receiving paddy and other gifts. The villagers believe they are harbingers of prosperity.
Myth about Kotamuri
The songs accompanying the dance generally deal with stories of the beautiful Mother Goddess Annapurna of Cherukunnu temple. The goddess reached the village from the Arya country by sea in an open canoe. `Shiva`, the principal deity of the nearby temple at Taliparamba, came to see her and fell in love. She started demanding gifts from him. He readily complied, giving her even his own belongings, and in the end had to run away bereft of everything. She is considered the mother of fertility. Many songs about the cow of fertility are delivered which include the following line: `Let the houses that the Kotamuri visits thrive with abundance of paddy and money.
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